Meet Our Preceptors
Christopher A. Hatwig, MS, RPh, FASHP
President
Residency Co-Coordinator
Education
BS, Pharmacy – University of Arkansas College of Pharmacy
MS, Hospital Pharmacy Administration – University of Wisconsin
Training
Pharmacy Practice Residency – University of Wisconsin
Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency – University of Wisconsin
Background
Chris A. Hatwig, MS, RPh, is President of Apexus, the organization responsible for managing the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) 340B Prime Vendor Program (PVP). Chris works closely with HRSA’s Office of Pharmacy Affairs in Washington, DC, to educate all stakeholders and to improve the integrity and value of the 340B Drug Pricing Program for the nation’s safety-net providers. Participants in the program include HRSA grantees and disproportionate share hospitals serving the nation’s low-income and uninsured populations. The PVP provides added value by collectively representing the 340B covered entities’ purchases to secure federal sub-ceiling discounts on pharmaceuticals and discounts on other outpatient pharmacy-related products and services.
Chris is consulted frequently about the benefits of the 340B Program. He routinely makes national and regional presentations related to the 340B Program, innovative ambulatory pharmacy services, and drug cost containment strategies.
Before joining Apexus, Chris was the director of ambulatory pharmacy services and value analysis programs at Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, where he practiced for 13 years, managing one of the nation’s largest and more progressive ambulatory pharmacy programs serving low-income and uninsured patients. He was responsible for managing Parkland’s network of ambulatory pharmacies, which processed more than two million prescriptions annually and operated with a drug expense budget of $65 million.
Chris received his BS degree in pharmacy from the University of Arkansas. He completed residencies in hospital pharmacy and hospital pharmacy administration at the University of Wisconsin, culminating in an MS degree in hospital pharmacy.
Mike Benedict, MS, RPh
Senior Vice President, Sourcing
Residency Co-Coordinator
Education
BS, Pharmacy – The Ohio State University
MS, Hospital Pharmacy Administration - The Ohio State University
Training
Pharmacy Practice Residency – Mount Carmel Medical Center
Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency – Mount Carmel Medical Center
Background
Mike Benedict, MS, RPh, is Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Apexus, the organization responsible for managing the HRSA 340B Prime Vendor Program. Mike is responsible for managing relationships with suppliers, distributors, and entities, and provides educational support for internal and external stakeholders in the 340B Program.
Before joining Apexus, Mike was the vice president of Health Enterprises Pharmacy Services, where he developed services for member hospitals, including onsite and remote staffing services, 340B services, and medication safety and revenue cycle consulting services. He has provided over 25 years of pharmacy leadership in areas as diverse as disproportionate share hospitals, critical access hospitals, community health centers, school-based clinics, jails, colleges of pharmacy, ambulatory pharmacy, and clinical services management.
Mike received his BS degree in pharmacy from The Ohio State University. He completed residencies in hospital pharmacy and hospital pharmacy administration at Mount Carmel Medical Center and completed an MS degree in hospital pharmacy administration at The Ohio State University.
Shelly Dusing Wiest, PharmD, FASHP, BCPS, 340B ACE
Senior Vice President, 340B Compliance and Communications
Education
PharmD – University of Kentucky
Training
Pharmacy Practice and Drug Information Residency – University of Kentucky Medical Center
Background
Shelly Dusing Wiest, PharmD, is Senior Vice President of 340B Compliance and Communications at Apexus, the organization responsible for managing the HRSA 340B Prime Vendor Program. She is responsible for leading communication and education initiatives to support compliant programs for stakeholders of the 340B Program.
Prior to joining Apexus, Shelly served at UC Health in Cincinnati, OH, where she most recently was vice president of pharmacy services. She has deep experience in pharmacy management, program planning, supply chain formulary management, and leadership, and has managed many diverse pharmacy teams. She led the development of specialty pharmacy programs and other service lines at UC Health, most notably in prior authorization/certification programs and oncology and non-oncology infusion services. Earlier in her career she served in various pharmacy roles at Parkland Health & Hospital System, Health Alliance, and the University of Kentucky Hospital.
Shelly received her BS in pharmacy and her PharmD from the University of Kentucky. She completed residencies in pharmacy practice and drug information at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. She became a 340B Apexus Certified Expert in 2022.
Sarah Lee, PharmD, MS, 340B ACE
Associate Vice President, 340B Purchasing Insights
Residency Program Director
Education
PharmD – University of Iowa
MS, Hospital Pharmacy Administration – University of Kansas
Training
Pharmacy Practice Residency – University of Kansas Hospitals
Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency – University of Kansas Hospitals
Background
Sarah Lee, PharmD, MS, is Associate Vice President of 340B Purchasing Insights at Apexus, the organization responsible for managing the HRSA 340B Prime Vendor Program. Her primary role is to work with 340B stakeholders to better understand the 340B Program and implement purchasing practices that support program compliance. Sarah’s primary focuses include the development of tools to assist in tackling 340B operational challenges and the fostering of partnerships with stakeholders that can identify best practices to be shared with others in the 340B community. Her areas of expertise include the use of analytics in evaluating purchasing practices to identify additional savings opportunities and developing operational dashboards.
Before joining Apexus, Sarah served as the clinical manager for pharmacy supply chain at the University of North Carolina Hospitals, where she was responsible for procurement and centralized supply chain operations including distribution and compounding, contracting, and the 340B Program.
Sarah earned her PharmD at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and her MS at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, and completed a two-year health system pharmacy administration residency at the University of Kansas Hospitals. She became a 340B Apexus Certified Expert in 2017.